Former India opener Murali Vijay praised his former Tamil Nadu teammate Dinesh Karthik during a recent event in Chennai. Vijay's comments on Karthik quickly went viral across social media platforms, surprising many cricket fans given their widely discussed rivalry in the past.
After the divorce, Karthik focused on rebuilding his personal life and cricket career. He married Indian squash player Dipika Pallikal in 2015 and went on to revive his career as a finisher for India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Meanwhile, Vijay stayed away from public attention after retiring from cricket.
"He Is One of Tamil Nadu's Best Cricketers" - Murali Vijay Praises Dinesh Karthik
Murali Vijay surprised the audience by praising Dinesh Karthik despite their well-known past. Speaking at an event, Vijay admitted his comments might sound unusual but described Karthik as one of Tamil Nadu's greatest cricketers and thanked him for helping him during his career.
“I want to talk about Dinesh Karthik. It might be a little weird, but, you know, I’ve been watching him since my childhood days."
"I feel he is one of Tamil Nadu’s best cricketers, batsmen, and wicketkeepers ever. He’s a dynamic personality, a dear friend, but I enjoyed watching him as a fan because I have been at the non-striker’s end with him many times. I have not seen anybody play like him. He’s a fantastic cricketer. He’s helped me a lot with all his knowledge. And I really want to thank him for that now.”
M. Vijay @mvj888 turned emotional while speaking about his former teammates, including @DineshKarthik & @ashwinravi99 at the @TNCACricket Annual Day.
— Santhosh Kumar (@giffy6ty) July 4, 2026
"I want to talk about Dinesh Karthik. It might sound a little weird, but I've known him since my childhood. He is a dynamic… pic.twitter.com/hqA5OiQYZN
Murali Vijay-Dinesh Karthik Controversy Explained
Murali Vijay's praise for Dinesh Karthik surprised many fans because of their well-known personal controversy in 2012. The two were once close friends and teammates for Tamil Nadu and India before their relationship broke down due to events in their personal lives.
The controversy began after Murali Vijay entered a relationship with Nikita Vanjara, who was married to Dinesh Karthik at the time. Karthik and Nikita later divorced in 2012, ending their marriage that had begun in 2007.
Vijay married Nikita, and the couple later started a family together. During that period, both Vijay and Karthik continued to play for India, leading to constant public attention and speculation about their relationship. Neither cricketer spoke publicly about the controversy at the time.
Murali Vijay Calls Ravichandran Ashwin a Role Model
Murali Vijay also praised Ravichandran Ashwin and recalled his dedication during their early cricketing days in Chennai. Vijay shared a story about Ashwin's father and said Ashwin's passion for improving his game always stood out.
“And R Ashwin, of course. At that time there was a guy named Ravichandran. I saw him here. Once, when we had practice at Sent Beach at 4:45, he came on his bike, and I was going on my scooty. He stopped me and said, ‘You carry on with this. I have to go to work, to the office.’"
"I watched Ashwin. I always thought he would do something someday. I always had that feeling because he showed that eagerness. He had a different kind of passion for cricket because he wanted to learn the game and improve himself. So that was a great quality to have. All the youngsters listening, he’s a great role model.”
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